…NONE of which are the feelings I had while making this GODDAMN CARDIGAN.

Oh sure, I can put on a good performance for these pictures, acting like it didn’t take me fully a YEAR AND A HALF to knit this. I can even look like I’m calmly reading the next book for the Literary Sewing Circle (which I am, actually, and it’s a good book with plenty of humour, so go check it out if you’re looking for your next enjoyable novel — Dance, Gladys, Dance by Cassie Stocks).

This jaunty “oh, hi there, I just thought I’d glance over my shoulder while casually holding my glasses and standing in such a way that you can see all that GODDAMN colourwork clearly” pose hides the pain of all the long hours spent on those complicated colourwork charts — only to discover when the whole sweater was almost, tantalizingly complete — that my tension was WAAAAAY off. I’d knitted NOT a slouchy weekend cardigan but rather a thermal layer for football practice with room for a linebacker’s shoulderpads in the upper part, slimming down to a tiny, fitted waist in the bottom part. I’d made my floats — the strands of yarn you have to carry behind the other colours to join up again further down the row of knitting — TOO SHORT. (Alas, I did not take any pictures of the sweater in this state. It was a hilarious mess. But I was too irritated to appreciate the humour and at that point I banished it to a dark basket in the far corner of my den for a term of several months.)

Here’s an insider look at those floats on the sleeve, along with the ENDLESS number of yarn ends that needed to be woven in. But you might also recognize the corner of a serger in the photo, too. Yep, after the several-month cooling off period, I was about to slam this hot mess of a hand-knit through my serger to fix it! Added bonus: I didn’t have to weave in all those ends!

The result, after serging off the excess room in the upper body and upper sleeves (not to mention the usual steam-blocking-the-shit-out-of-it procedure), is a slightly out of proportion but still wearable sweater.

This isn’t the first time I had to use the serger to rescue a sweater I had knit. You may recall my Sweetheart Sweater: here’s the before and the after of that one.

I must say, this experience has put me off stranded colourwork knitting for a while. I’m happily back to knitting things like hats, scarves, and socks, that are much less of a dice-roll when it comes to fit.

What about you? Have you ever spent months on making something only to have it not fit right? Were you able to rescue it?

Thanks so much for stopping by!

— Lori

]]>https://frivolousatlast.com/2018/02/10/velvet-morning-cardigan/feed/14velvetmorninginsidesleeve_rectLori B.Frivolous at Last - Velvet Morning Knit Cardiganvelvetmorningcardigan9Frivolous at Last - Velvet Morning Knit CardiganFrivolous at Last - Velvet Morning cardiganFrivolous at Last - Velvet Morning Knit CardiganFrivolous at Last - Velvet Morning Knit Cardiganvelvetmorningcardigan7Frivolous at Last - Velvet Morning Knit CardiganFrivolous at Last - Velvet Morning Knit CardiganThe One Hour Ombre Top, Which Was Effortless, Of Coursehttps://frivolousatlast.com/2018/02/03/the-one-hour-ombre-top-which-was-effortless-of-course/
https://frivolousatlast.com/2018/02/03/the-one-hour-ombre-top-which-was-effortless-of-course/#commentsSat, 03 Feb 2018 15:52:29 +0000http://frivolousatlast.com/?p=5262It’s ombré, hombre! If there’s one thing that will have me clicking “Add To Cart” faster than a Canadian politician can resign after a #metoo complaint, it’s ombré. (Oh, and Asian-style prints. Especially with cranes. But I digress.)

There was one lousy yard of this fabric left in stock, so I snatched it up, determined to find a way to make it work for something. I used the One Hour Top pattern, which is free from Fancy Tiger Crafts, but I modified the sleeves. The original pattern is just two pieces — a front and a back that include cut-on sleeves. I didn’t have enough fabric to fit these two large pattern pieces so I cut my sleeves separately.

(Side note: I have never sewed ANYTHING that has taken only an hour. This One Hour Top included.)

As a rule I usually sew a quarter-inch clear elastic into the seam at the shoulders of any knits I sew. I’m told this prevents the shoulder seam from pulling down and stretching out over time. In this case, though, it kinda created a gathered/ruched effect. This fabric is very lightweight so maybe I should have adjusted the settings on my serger or something (still a mysterious dark art to me) to prevent this? Or maybe the elastic was stretching out as it got pulled into the serger? Whatever. I think this actually looks good and consider it a happy accident. Design feature, baby!

I thought I was being clever wearing a black bra underneath this slightly sheer top. Looking at these pics now, I’m not so sure this was a good strategy. I mean, if I wanted to look, you know, “effortlessly alluring yet casual in a cheeky kind of way, but like, EFFORTLESS, of course” — because figuring out what to wear is always effortless — this full-coverage t-shirt bra that seems to be carved all in one piece out of dense foam was probably not the way to go.

I tried the t-shirt out with my Carrie cardigan. I’m not winning any awards for pulling together a look here, unless it’s the Why Didn’t You Make an EFFORT While Pretending It Was All Completely EFFORTLESS??? fashion award.

Oh look, it’s me looking effortlessly effortless again!

P.S. There’s a new episode of the Clothes Making Mavens podcast out, if you haven’t caught it yet. Meet Naomi of Spare Room Style, her sister Miriam of Create Hope Inspire, Shannon of Adventures of a Young Seamstress, Amy from Almond Rock, and Manju from Sew Manju!

Thanks for stopping by!

— Lori

]]>https://frivolousatlast.com/2018/02/03/the-one-hour-ombre-top-which-was-effortless-of-course/feed/5ombretoprectLori B.Frivolous at Last - One Hour Ombre TopFrivolous at Last - One Hour Ombre TopFrivolous at Last - One Hour Ombre TopFrivolous at Last - One Hour Ombre Top Frivolous at Last - One Hour Ombre Top and Carrie CardiganFrivolous at Last - One Hour Ombre Top and Carrie CardiganClothes Making Mavens - a sewing podcast about handmade fashionGreenStyle Capsule Cardigan & the Distracting Infinity Scarfhttps://frivolousatlast.com/2018/01/27/greenstyle-capsule-cardigan-the-distracting-infinity-scarf/
https://frivolousatlast.com/2018/01/27/greenstyle-capsule-cardigan-the-distracting-infinity-scarf/#commentsSat, 27 Jan 2018 20:48:58 +0000http://frivolousatlast.com/?p=5668This is the Cardigan That Almost Wasn’t.

It’s the Capsule Cardigan from Greenstyle Creations. It came out a helluva mess, but I’ve been enjoying wearing it anyway. You can see from the pics that the front band is a bit too short, so the fronts of the cardigan don’t quite hang properly. I blame it all on the fabric I chose. You know, it’s NOT like it could have been the lack of skill on the part of the seamstress!

This fabric is a woven that stretches widthwise. I didn’t inspect it all that carefully when I bought it and I guess I just assumed it was a knit and would behave accordingly. What I didn’t anticipate was that my serger would chew up and spit out this woven like tobacco at a major league baseball game. When I tried to serge the shoulder seams, rather than joining the seams, the serger just pulled apart the horizontal threads, making one big mess.

I was pretty sure this was destined to be a wadder. (If you haven’t heard the expression before, it’s when something is so far beyond repair you just wad it up and toss it in the trash.) But I futzed around with a zigzag stitch on my regular sewing machine and managed to get the thing put together. It means there are a lot of unfinished seam allowances on the inside that I’m hoping won’t completely unravel in the wash. Well if they do, at least it got some wear before becoming a wadder. I do really like the shape and style of the cardigan so I might try sewing it with a more stable knit…or an actual knit, for that matter!

I’m happy to report that this cowl may be the most heavenly thing I have ever knit! I was perusing the shelves of my local yarn shop, fondling all the yarn like a some entitled guy who hasn’t yet figured out that #timesup, when my fingers happened upon what can only be described as rapture in a skein. It’s Amelie yarn by Illimani, described on Ravelry as “the most luxurious, softest and lightest yarn in the world. It is impossible to describe it with words.” It’s 56% silk, 40% alpaca, and 4% merino, and Ravelry lists its texture as “blown”. Blown AWAY, more like. It really is the most amazing yarn.

This is the Ombre Infinity pattern by Cynthia Parker, which, while not the most detailed or best-written knitting pattern I’ve ever used, was certainly the perfect pattern to show off these 3 colourways of the yarn. I am a *sucker* for anything resembling ombre or gradient.

Can’t help but look beatific while my neck is wrapped in fibre from heaven. It does tend to shed bit of “blown” fluff a lot, but so far no pilling after a couple of months of use.

So if I wear this infinity scarf with this cardigan, does it draw attention away from the shoddy workwomanship on the cardi? Kinda like in the 80s, when girls’ fashion mags told us if we teased our bangs high enough, it would draw attention upward and no one would notice our oversized booty? Lol.

Ready to Wear Fast 2018 Update: have held strong to the pledge not to buy any clothes. I did have to go “unshopping” early in January to return some things I had ordered online in a fit of self-doubt just before the 2018 fasting began. Saw a lot of cute things while I was waiting in line with my returns but I’m seeing them through a different lens now…so much of it is trendy things that will be out of style in 6 months. The disposable attitude we’ve adopted towards clothing is a little nauseating for sure (and the fact that the store was in the middle of January clearance chaos, with clothes strewn *everywhere* in messy piles, certainly added to that feeling). So I haven’t bought any RTW clothing, but I have purchased a lot of fabric. And like 3 lipsticks that I definitely didn’t need. (Anyone else a lipstick addict? Want to join me in forming a new LipAnon group??) I’m thinking of declaring February a no-buying-at-all month just to eliminate the psychological ‘crutch’ of buying anything at all.

Dave wore it to work and told his mates I made it for him. One of the reactions was, “How do you even MAKE a hoodie???” Which, I’m sure you know if you sew your clothes, isn’t an unusual reaction for someone to have when you told them you made what you’re wearing. It’s kind of a way of expressing appreciation for your sewing talent. But it got me thinking…where do people *think* clothes come from? It’s like not realizing the meat you buy in plastic trays at the grocery store came from a real animal. Clothes are made by human hands — without exception, as far as I know. Some real human being stitches up each and every garment. I guess since garment manufacturing disappeared overseas in the last couple of decades, we Westerners don’t even *think* about where our clothes come from or the work that goes into making them.

I did a few fittings with Dave before it was finished — so much for surprise gifts. Good thing I did, though; one of the things we figured out was that it needed to be lined. I thought the fleece would be fine on its own but when he put it on, Dave thought it was too lightweight. I used some black jersey from my stash to line it (which was going to be a Nettie Bodysuit, but one doesn’t actually *need* a bodysuit in one’s wardrobe, right? *Sigh*.)

Dave says that with the lining this is the perfect hoodie for winter. Just in time for this crazy winter we’ve been having in the eastern part of North America! Seriously, we’ve had a “polar vortex” and a “bomb cyclone”. WTF even ARE those?? I swear the weather reporters are now just making shit up. What’s next? A glacial hoarfrost explosion? A shit-in-fan ice tsunami? An arctic permafrost paroxysm? A frigid hyperboreal holocaust? Meteorologists, feel free to use any one of these phrases when you run out of ideas for your next hyperbolic “weather event”.

I’d say this has been a successful gift — Dave has worn it an awful lot since Christmas. So much so I must admit I’m getting a bit sick of seeing it! To preserve my sanity I may have to make him another one in a solid colour.

12pm, Saturday, December 16: I decide I need a new dress for a party I’m going to at 6pm. Husband raises his eyebrows at my proclamation and suggests it might be better for my state of mind to wear one of the many things already in my closet. However, I accept that by 6pm, I will either be completely stressed out and wearing a new dress, or completely stressed out and wearing an old dress, so I grab my scissors and tape and print out the Nettie Dress pattern from Closet Case. GAME ON!

(12:30pm, Saturday, December 16: Husband wisely leaves the house for the afternoon.)

I cut the scoop neck, deep low back version. I was inspired by Doctor T’s red-hot version (or should I say yellow-hot?) The low back necessitated adding bra inserts in the front. However, with time being of the essence, and this being an Extreme Sport and all, I flew by the seat of my pants and SAFETY PINNED those molded cups into the dress. Don’t judge — dinner was at 6.

Another little hack (necessary to prevent a wardrobe malfunction at this family-friendly gathering) was to add lace ties at the back. The dress does not fit like a glove; in fact, there’s waaaay to much room between the shoulder seam and the armpit, so there was no way this dress was going to stay on around my shoulders. What it actually needs is a bit of seam ripping and resewing, which I’ll get to eventually (hello giant mending pile). But the last-minute ties did the trick to meet my deadline. I’m glad I had some lace trim in my stash or I might’ve had to make the ties out of duct tape.

The fabric is a techno/scuba knit type thing I bought online a while back, and is now out of stock. Scuba is the best fabric for fitted dresses, ever. It’s like it’s got Spanx built into it. I know it came and went as a trend but I’m going to be keeping a candle burning for it as long as I can.

Rewards of extreme sewing include when a nine-year-old girl who doesn’t know you from Eve spots you at the party and says, “You’re wearing a very pretty dress!”

Why thank you, sweetheart! I’d give you a hug but there’s a pin sticking in my boob, so we’ll settle for a high five.

I’d love to hear your tales of extreme sewing. Ever decided you needed to sew something RIGHT BEFORE heading to the airport? Or to an event? What happened?– good or bad…dish!

Thanks for stopping by!

— Lori

]]>https://frivolousatlast.com/2018/01/07/instant-party-just-add-nettie-and-some-safety-pins-and-maybe-duct-tape/feed/24Nettie_rectLori B.NettieDress1_1Nettie_rectNettieDress3_1NettieDress4_1NettieDress5_1NettieDress6_1My 2017 in pictureshttps://frivolousatlast.com/2018/01/02/my-2017-in-pictures/
https://frivolousatlast.com/2018/01/02/my-2017-in-pictures/#commentsTue, 02 Jan 2018 21:36:53 +0000http://frivolousatlast.com/?p=5608January: birthday presents from my husband. That guy just GETS me.January: the happy-making cowl (Post here)February: an intense trip to Kenya……with my student crew to shoot a documentary about Female Genital Mutilation (post here)Cute baby elephants and cute school children at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi where they rescue and rehabilitate orphaned elephantsHow could I resist buying this beautiful skirt when she models it so well?My cats. Because squeeeeeee!April: my volleyball team kicks ass in the playoffs!May: a trip to Berlin with my husband where we hung out with our dear friend Kristian from Denmark……and went fabric shopping at the Turkish Market, of course. (post here)May: an unexpected reunion with an old friend from New Zealand — in Cleveland. (Also: who knew Cleveland was such a neat city?)My shoulda-been favourite pants that aren’t a favourite at all. I’d love these if it weren’t for the fact that the fabric bags out so easily and doesn’t recover well. (Post here)May: a friend invites me to go to his shooting club to fire some guns. And I say, why not? Scary, but fun. Glad I tried it.June: my parents celebrate their 60th wedding anniversaryOne of my favourite makes of 2017: The secret pyjamas Inari Tee Dress (post here)Another killer make: the Named Kielo Wrap Dress (post here)And another 2017 favourite: the BurdaStyle ruched sheath dress (post here)Summertime: filled with beach volleyball!

Satin printed fabric from Spoonflower. An unexpected favourite make of 2017 (post here)

Can’t seem to get enough of these Zinnia Skirts by Colette (post here)I’m grateful for these friends……with whom I have way too much fun!August: took an indigo dyeing workshop and made this scarf (post here)……as well as this Papercut Patterns Skipper Tunic (post here)August: a trip to Prince Edward Island, and a visit to Campbell’s Fibre Farm where I bought some hand-spun alpaca yarn that came from these fellas……and turned it into this hat for my friend’s baby born in October.Helena and I continue to produce episodes of the Clothes Making Mavens podcast somewhat regularly (i.e. when we find time and get our shit together), and we reach over 20,000 listens this year.Everyone needs a handmade giant metallic leather bag! (post here)Hallowe’en: My husband and I dressed as Uma Thurman and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction. I’m quite proud of the syringe I rigged up with literally a paperclip and chewing gum (along with surgical tape, liquid latex and makeup). The cigarette is fake of course!November: back in the jewelry studio to learn textile techniques for metal……and I made this woven silver ball pendant with a gemstone rattling around inside.December: a long-weekend trip to New York City to soak up some Christmas vibes and visit with friends……and buy fabric, of course! I’m doing a little happy dance in the aisles of Mood Fabrics.December: celebrating party season with my love!December: another playoff win for the Misfits!December: handsome husband likes his handmade Wardrobe By Me Ziggi Hoodie Christmas gift.December: a last-minute-decision trip to Dominican Republic! Worthy of joyful jumping!

It’s been a very good year, and I’m full of gratitude.

What’s coming down the pike for 2018? One thing I know for sure is I won’t be buying any ready-to-wear clothes. I’ve taken the 2018 RTW Fasters pledge. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.

Here’s wishing you a very happy and healthy 2018!

Thanks for stopping by.

— Lori

]]>https://frivolousatlast.com/2018/01/02/my-2017-in-pictures/feed/6expansepartyLori B.birthdaypresentscowlkenyakenyastudentselephantskenyaskirtcatsvballteamKristiann_berlin_ldturkishmarketfabricberlinmelissa_clevelandtropicalpantsScreen Shot 2018-01-01 at 6.48.43 PManniversary_familyInari Tee Dress by Named Clothing - Frivolous At Lastkielowrapdress6BurdaRuchedSheathDress3IMG-20170820-WA0007DanmarkSatinTop3zinnia_floral_skirt1friends1friends2Frivolous at Last shibori-dyed cotton gauze scarfFrivolous At Last - Papercut Skipper Tunic in Shibori cotton linenalpacasScreen Shot 2018-01-02 at 3.54.06 PMClothes Making Mavens - a sewing podcast about handmade fashionmetallicleathertote5halloweenjewelrystudioballpendantMayraNYCmooddanceexpansepartyvballchampshoodieDaveDRbeachFast Fashion Fasting & Favourite Feathered Teehttps://frivolousatlast.com/2017/12/21/fast-fashion-fasting-favourite-feathered-tee/
https://frivolousatlast.com/2017/12/21/fast-fashion-fasting-favourite-feathered-tee/#commentsThu, 21 Dec 2017 16:28:06 +0000http://frivolousatlast.com/?p=5454How is it almost the end of 2017 already?? I’m looking forward to the break between Christmas and New Year to do a lot of sewing and hopefully catching up on posting some of the stuff I’ve been sewing lately. Truth be told, I’m also going to be doing a bit of shopping during that time, in preparation for the Ready-to-Wear Fast of 2018! I’ve thrown my hat in the ring and pledged to not buy any clothes for the whole year! And as a nervous addict facing withdrawal, I’m going to go buy at least a pair of jeans as a kind of last hurrah.

The Ready to Wear Fast is a vow to abstain from buying clothes for one year. You will give up buying clothes from January 1 – December 31, 2018. You may sew anything, and you may fabric shop as much as you would like! The purpose is to Save Money and Improve Your Sewing Skills, but believe me, the rewards of the commitment will exceed your expectations.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

1.May I buy sweaters since I don’t knit?
No, you may not buy sweaters.

2. What about bathing suits?
No, you may not buy a bathing suit.

3. I’m attending a ball this year. May I buy a ball gown?
No you may not buy a ball gown.

4. Do I have to make my wedding dress?
Please buy the wedding dress of your dreams. A wedding dress or bridesmaid’s dress is the only exception.

5. What about scarves?
No

6. What can we buy during 2018?
You many buy underwear, socks, jewelry, handbags and belts.

7. Can we buy shoes on a Ready to Wear Fast?
Y E S !! Shoes are allowed – Enjoy

8. Can I wear the Ready to Wear clothes I bought before the Fast?
Yes, absolutely.

9. May we accept gifts of clothing?
Of course.

10. Can we buy thrift shop clothes to refashion?
No. I encourage you to refashion clothes from your closet.

________________________________________________

Here’s why I think this fast will be good for me:

I have a tendency to shop a bit mindlessly as a stress reliever, whether online or in person. A fast will force me to quit!

I have more clothes than I need already anyway. For 2018, I’ll be required to use what I already have more thoughtfully.

I’ll need to be more deliberate about what I sew and the fabric I buy. Instead of buying that loud printed fabric that catches my eye — guilty as charged, for sure — I’ll need to think about what exactly I need in my wardrobe and which fabric will be necessary to fill that gap. I’m sure this will mean more solids and more basics.

If I need jeans, I’m gonna have to sew ’em! (Eeeeek!)

I’ve been knitting clothes since 2009 and sewing clothes since 2013, so I feel like I have enough experience and skill to be able to make the things I need or want during 2018. And if I need a type of garment that I haven’t sewn before, I’ll have to step up and learn the new skills or go without.

So, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. But I must admit I am definitely nervous. Will I be able to break the shopping habit? Will I have the time to sew the things I need? 2018 will tell.

And now here’s my new (well, new back in October as you can tell by the seasonally-inappropriate pictures — I’m definitely behind on the blog posts) Favourite Tee by Patterns for Pirates.

I used a Robert Kaufmann feather print cotton knit, which I love, although the black does fade with washing, which sucks. I have a tendency to buy really soft, drapey knits such as modal and then I find I don’t love wearing a lightweight, drapey garment all that much. I like my tees to have a bit of heft for the most part. Cotton jersey seems to do the trick for me.

The pattern has a lot of options for necklines, hemlines, and sleeve lengths. I chose the scoop-neck and curved, top-length hemline with long sleeves.

I did end up shortening the back hem by about 2 inches, and I still find it a touch too long.

I’m sure I’ll be using this pattern again in 2018. Basic long-sleeve tees are the type of thing I’d normally just go buy rather than spend precious sewing time on a ‘basic’ — but no doubt my Ready to Wear Fast pledge will change that.

]]>https://frivolousatlast.com/2017/12/21/fast-fashion-fasting-favourite-feathered-tee/feed/7feathertee_rect2Lori B.feathertee1feathertee5Screen Shot 2017-12-21 at 11.04.53 AMfeathertee3feathertee8feathertee7feathertee9Paola Turtleneckhttps://frivolousatlast.com/2017/12/15/paola-turtleneck/
https://frivolousatlast.com/2017/12/15/paola-turtleneck/#commentsFri, 15 Dec 2017 17:21:53 +0000http://frivolousatlast.com/?p=5545This top is a result of chance: I wasn’t thinking, “I need to sew a turtleneck,” but when I happened upon this chartreuse rayon-wool knit at Fabricland, A) I had to buy it because it was chartreuse; and B) a turtleneck is what it demanded to become.

The fabric is very lightweight. Like, NO chance I’ll be wearing a bra without some serious molded foam between my nipples and the rest of the world! But despite how lightweight it is, it really is nice and warm! Wool is like that, y’all. Miracle fibre.

But because it’s so lightweight, the original turtleneck was way too slouchy — as you can see in the photo below, it was puddling around my neck rather than hugging it.

This photo gives the best representation of the colour of the fabric.

So I ripped it out, cut a second neckband and doubled them up together, and cut away about 1.5 inches from the circumference of the turtleneck. This made it narrower and gave it enough body to be able to stand up the way I like it around my neck.

I don’t know about this outfit. I’m not feeling the pants, y’know?

The Paola pattern is designed to have a fairly short hem — I added about 2 inches to the length and I’m very glad I did.

Here’s a bit of a roundup of turtleneck patterns in case you’re feeling the cold yourself. Click on any photo to go check out the pattern.

But stop the presses! Here is a super-versatile pattern from Victory Patterns: the Frances pattern which includes options for a crop-top, a hip-length top, AND a dress, with a lot of great neckline options including a turtleneck. Alas, this holy-grail-pattern was released just days after I had made my Paola, otherwise I would have been ALL OVER this. Actually, I think I will probably still be all over this sometime soon. Who can resist a pattern with so many built-in options?

Of course, you can always whip up a turtleneck based on any crew-neck T-shirt pattern you might already have in your stash. There are plenty of tutorials out there for doing this, but here’s one by Rachel from Maker Style that you might enjoy.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

— Lori

*Yes, I definitely meant to use this particular word. Definitely. If I had a nickel for every time one of my students claimed in a paper that something was “defiantly” doing/being something, I’d be able to buy each of you a nice Christmas present. Alas, as there is no monetary compensation for suffering the debilitating effects of Repetitive Auto Corrected Defiantly Syndrome, you will have to settle for a simple, heartfelt wish for all the best of the holiday season to you from me!

]]>https://frivolousatlast.com/2017/12/15/paola-turtleneck/feed/14paolaturtleneck_rectLori B.paolaturtleneck5Paola Turtleneck in rayon-wool blend by Frivolous At LastPaola Turtleneck in rayon-wool blend by Frivolous At Lastpaolaturtleneck_beforePaola Turtleneck in rayon-wool blend by Frivolous At LastPaola Turtleneck in rayon-wool blend by Frivolous At Lastpaolaturtleneck4paolaturtleneck8Itch to Stitch Hepburn TurtleneckBurda Turtleneck tunicMimi G's Georgia turtleneck with sleeve cap ruffleJalie's Marie Claude raglan pullover with turtleneckScreen Shot 2017-12-15 at 9.44.12 AMScreen Shot 2017-12-15 at 9.58.12 AMScreen Shot 2017-12-15 at 9.56.54 AMWe Are Better With Lesshttps://frivolousatlast.com/2017/11/22/we-are-better-with-less/
https://frivolousatlast.com/2017/11/22/we-are-better-with-less/#commentsWed, 22 Nov 2017 20:01:40 +0000http://frivolousatlast.com/?p=5531Just a friendly reminder as we enter the holiday season and the shudder-inducing, pathological consumption of “Black Friday” approaches: we don’t need all that STUFF. We’re better with less.

Stuff is what created the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an unfathomably huge area of plastic waste that doesn’t biodegrade, leaches harmful chemicals into the sea, and kills marine life. The manufacturing, shipping, packaging, and discarding of all our unnecessary stuff is killing the planet.

The quest for more, bigger, better, and still more stuff puts us in debt. Debt causes stress and hardship and can break up relationships and families.

Buying presents for everyone you love can be a huge time-suck and stress-inducer. Giving is supposed to make you happy, right? But that extra few hundred dollars in interest rates on your credit card from buying all that stuff kinda does the opposite.

Much of the stuff we give as gifts winds up as junk. (Click that link — really interesting article!)

So you didn’t realize I was such an old grinch-face, did you? Au contraire! I’m trying to lighten our load by reminding us that we are better with less. If you’re curious, let Courtney of Be More With Less explain why. Her site is full of good reasons to lessen our load of stuff and how this can help us live a better life.

I know I’ve taken the risk of sounding preachy. I’m not judging. (It’s hard to sit in judgement when I have a house full of stuff and, as my husband likes to point out regularly, three storage cabinets full of yarn and fabric. “Floor to ceiling!” he says reproachfully. Defensively I point out that the cabinets are in the basement which has a low ceiling. ) It’s hard to fight the urge for more stuff, when every message in our society tells us all day long that we need more. Stuff you didn’t know you needed until you were told. Stuff you “deserve”. Stuff you can’t live without. Stuff that will make your life better. Stuff that is too good a bargain to turn down. Our capitalist society is built on the faulty premise that the economy must grow constantly (even though we know this is completely unsustainable for the planet and for our grandchildren).

Rather than being preachy I was just hoping to let you know that it’s possible for us to get through this season while minimizing a lot of the stresses and environmental devastation that goes along with stuff. Courtney has some good advice in her Guide to Simple Holidays and here’s some thorough advice from Wellness Mama on giving experiences instead of stuff, especially for families with kids.

By all means, let’s buy the things we need or want to support our creative hobby, because that is a creative endeavour that enhances our experience as humans.

But let’s allow ourselves the luxury of saying no to the rampant consumerism we’re constantly being badgered into. Let’s spend time doing what we love and being with the people we love. That’s what really matters.

I think we should rename Black Friday to Better With Less Friday, to remind ourselves of what’s important.

Thanks so much for stopping by (and humouring me on my ranting).

— Lori

]]>https://frivolousatlast.com/2017/11/22/we-are-better-with-less/feed/13We are better with less.Lori B.Metallic Leather Tote Baghttps://frivolousatlast.com/2017/11/20/metallic-leather-tote-bag/
https://frivolousatlast.com/2017/11/20/metallic-leather-tote-bag/#commentsMon, 20 Nov 2017 23:28:04 +0000http://frivolousatlast.com/?p=5425I’m only two months late, ok? Remember Sewcialists had a Tribute Month back in September? To sew something inspired by another sewist? Well, back in August I saw a blogger who had made a leather tote bag based on a pattern she’d found in a book called Cloth: 30+ Beautiful Projects to Sew from Linen, Cotton, Silk, Wool, and Hide by Cassandra Ellis. It was so cute, I had to have one myself! [Note: Do you think I can find that blog post/instagram post now??? Of course not! Today is Monday and I can’t remember what I did on the weekend, so it naturally follows that I can’t remember for the life of me who made the lovely tote bag I was inspired by! Are you reading this, tote-bag-maker? I’m sorry! I had plans to link this tribute to you. I’ve just spent the last 30 minutes trying to google you, but to no avail! Raise your hand if this is YOU!]

I had big plans in August to make this bag and post it in time for tribute month, but life happens, and so here I am in November, running helplessly behind, shouting “guys! Wait up! Wait for meeeee!” Lol. In related news, I’m hoping my family is going to take me up on my request to have Christmas in March.

I adore this bag. It’s gigantic and simple. No lining, no pockets, just gigantic simplicity. I bought the hide from Designer Fabrics here in Toronto for a song…maybe $20? But don’t quote me on that, because, you know, memory issues and all that.

I deviated from the template provided in Cassandra Ellis’ book in that I widened and lengthened the pieces so I could sew across the bottom corners to construct a flat bottom. The original pattern doesn’t provide any width; just 2 flat sides sewn together.

[That moment when you realize standing next to your neighbours’ reflective red garage to take photos isn’t the best idea.]

Tribute month gave me an opportunity to reflect on the online sewing community, and how GREAT it is to have access to smart, creative, generous people with whom we can share our hobby, passion, and creativity. I remember when I first got back into sewing in 2013 after a long hiatus (a hiatus that began pre-social media) and discovered sewing blogs. I remember being surprised by a post — sadly I of course have no recollection of who this was — by a woman in her 40s or 50s modelling the bathing suit she had sewn. What’s wrong with a 40- or 50-something woman wearing a bathing suit? And showing pictures of herself wearing it on the Internet? Absolutely nothing, of course! Except that I at the time I didn’t know there were spaces on the Internet that weren’t cesspools of odious trolls, ready to spring into action to shame any woman who dare post pictures of herself, especially in a bathing suit. But here she was, showing close-up pictures of the bathing suit and talking about construction methods and fit like no one (no troll) was watching. And there were nothing but positive comments! What WAS this sewing-related online nirvana I had happened upon?? Why, the sewing community, of course. What a haven. I’m so grateful you’re there. Thank you.

I also wanted to pay tribute to a sewing blogger that has had a huge influence on my blog. Maybe you’re familiar with Shams of Communing With Fabric? What an immense sewing talent she is. I love her fearless fabric choices and her style. And for some reason, shortly after I got started blogging here at frivolousatlast.com, Shams decided to add me to her side-bar list of favourite blogs. Lucky me! Ever since then the number one source of traffic to my blog comes directly from her website. So thank you, Shams! Here’s to you, in gratitude!